


Countdown

by supercalvin



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, soul mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-06
Updated: 2014-02-06
Packaged: 2018-01-11 08:21:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1170823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supercalvin/pseuds/supercalvin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which everyone has a clock on their wrist that counts down the time until you meet your soul mate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Countdown

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this post on tumblr: [here](http://illness-and-instruments.tumblr.com/post/3139087743/timer-2009-if-a-clock-could-count-down-to-the)
> 
> I have too many head canons about this.

Today was going to be just like any other day, Arthur told himself several times. The number on his wrist was slowly ticking down, and he knew today was the day it would change to all zeroes, but he would not let that change his life. Today was going to be just like every other day.

He got up, took a shower, dressed, and ate breakfast. He made himself forget and by the end of eating his cereal the thought wasn’t even on his mind. He was already thinking of the things he had planned for the workday.

By the time he made it to the underground, he was already mentally at his desk, going over the report for that afternoon’s meeting. He wasn’t paying attention to the person running into the tube carriage right before the doors closed.

The person slammed into him and Arthur had to hold onto the pole to keep himself standing.

“Hey watch it” he growled angrily, until he saw who it was. “Merlin!” he groaned in frustration. Merlin, his best friend of several years, was in disarray frantically looking around the tube carriage.

“Arthur!” Merlin replied, looking stunned and out of breath.

“Lose something?” Arthur asked, gesturing to Merlin’s frantic head turning as his eyes roamed the crowd.

“What are you doing here?” Merlin said. If Arthur hadn’t known Merlin for as long as he had, he would have been offended. He smiled though, because Merlin looked like a woodland creature stuck in the city.

Arthur looked around. “I’m on the tube…” he said slowly, “going to work…” he raised a brow at Merlin. “Why are you here?”

“Fuck!” Merlin said looking around anxiously then looking back at Arthur. He held up his wrist for Arthur to look at. The numbers were all zeroes.

“Oh.” Arthur said. His heart sinking into his stomach. “Today’s the day then…You met someone?”

“No!” Merlin said uneasily. “That’s the problem. I was looking at it when I was running through the underground, and then I ran into you! but that can’t be right!” Merlin stopped then back tracked. “Wait. that came out wrong. I mean in all honesty it could be you, we’re mates and all, but the clock stops when you meet your soul mate, right? Not just some random time you bump into your soul mate. Oh god, what if I ran into someone on the way down here and I didn’t see them? But I don’t remember anyone…and I swear it happened right when I got on the tube. Oh fuck.” Merlin looked back to Arthur. “You were right, Arthur. You were always right. This is so _stupid_. The numbers must not work all the time…” Merlin looked on the verge of tears. “Oh god you were right. I’m such an idiot.”

Arthur stared at Merlin wide-eyed. Oh God, he really didn’t want Merlin to start crying. Arthur had been saying for years that the entire thing was a hoax. He had said that it couldn’t possibly be true, despite the fact that time after time happy couples were found.  Wait…If Merlin’s clock had run out…

He took in a shuddering breath. “Merlin” He said, grabbing his best friends arm. Merlin stopped rambling to look at him, and Arthur expression must have caught his attention because he stopped mid ramble.

Arthur unbuttoned the cuff on his sleeve and revealed the numbers on his wrist. They were all zeroes. This morning there had only been a few hours to go.

Merlin stared at the numbers. “You…Did they just…?”

Arthur nodded. “There were numbers there this morning. They must have stopped when you came into the carriage.”

Merlin gaped at him. “But….”

“Merlin…” Arthur swallowed and tried to get it out, but the words stuck in his throat.

“But don’t the numbers stop when you meet your soul mate? I’ve known you for _years_ , wouldn’t it have stopped when we _first_ meet?” Merlin was practically wringing his hair out in frustration. He was biting his lips, his cheeks were pink, and his eyes were staring straight into Arthur. That’s what made him finally say it.

“Merlin I love you.”

Merlin stared at him blankly for a long time. People got off the tube and more people boarded. The tube started up again. “ _What_?!” Merlin choked.

“I love you. God, Merlin, I love you so much.” Arthur sighed, finally able to say it, not realizing the burden it had truly had on his mind.

“Look Arthur I know you think this is stupid game or whatever, but I was serious about this…” Merlin said, his eyes already filled with tears.

Arthur grabbed Merlin’s arm again, “I’m not joking Merlin. Look me in the eye and tell me I’m lying when I say I love you.” Merlin’s jaw was unhinged and his eyes were wide on Arthur’s face.

“All these years Merlin I’ve been saying that the numbers are a joke because I’ve been in love with you. My numbers hadn’t ticked down when I met you, and that just couldn’t have been right. I don’t want to love anyone more than I love you…And all this time I’ve been waiting for you to find your soul mate…waiting for you to love someone and knowing it wasn’t me…”

Merlin was staring at him like he had grown another head, which was never a good sign.

“Arthur…” he said, “you… _you_ _can’t_ _be_ _serious_.”

Arthur sighed. He pulled Merlin forward, wrappin and arm around Merlin’s waist, causing him to stiffen. He pressed a kiss to his temple.

Merlin took in a shuddering breath. “Oh my god. I’m so _stupid_.”

“Yes, yes you are.” Arthur laughed.

Merlin pulled away from Arthur’s embrace to grabbed his face and kiss him rather earnestly. Arthur held onto Merlin’s shirt and let himself feel the ecstasy of having Merlin and knowing that he was allowed to.

When they pulled away they were both a little bleary eyed.

“Oh.” Merlin nodded,  “Okay.”

Arthur grabbed Merlin’s hand and dragged him off the tube at the next stop. He pulled out his phone. “Guinevere. Yes it’s Arthur. What? No, I’m fine. I’m on my way to work. Well I was on my way to work and now I’m going back home.”

On the other end, Gwen was sitting at her desk. She must have remembered the conversation she had with Arthur the day before about soul mates because she said, “Oh my god, the thing we were arguing about yesterday, about your numbers. Did _the_ _thing_ happen? Did you find someone? Oh my god, Arthur!” His secretary squealed.

Arthur looked over at Merlin who was holding his hand in an endearing death grip and never taking his eyes off Arthur. He looked a little lost, but he was smiling like he couldn’t stop.

“I ran into Merlin.” he said, a laugh bubbling out of his chest. Merlin laughed with him as he hailed a cab, a little too excitedly.

“What?!” she exclaimed. “But that doesn’t…”

“It happens, Gwen.” Arthur said, “And I’m rather glad it did. I’ll talk to you on Monday.”

Gwen must have been processing because she lengthened the word “Okay” into several syllables. Then something must have clicked. “ _Oh!_ _Okay_ , I get it. I’ll cancel your appointments for today. Oh my god do you mind if I tell everyone? Remember to be safe!” she said right as Arthur hung up.

“Come on,” Arthur said as he ducked into the cab, dragging Merlin in with him.

“Numbers clicked down?” the cabbie said.

“How’d you know?” Arthur said, frowning.

“Couples don’t get into cabs like that unless it night and they’ve had a few. And I’m all for drinking in the day, but its seven o’clock in the morning, mate.”

Merlin laughed, “Fair point.”

Arthur turned to Merlin, “Look Merlin…” Arthur cleared his throat. “You’re my best friend, and we’ve known each other for years… I don’t want you to feel like we have to be in a relationship just because of some numbers or because of anything I might have said…”

Merlin squeezed his hand, cutting off Arthur’s speech. “You _so_ aren’t getting out of this that easily” and then pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Today was like every other day. He had not met anyone new. But today was a pivotal day, and it was a definitely going to be a good day.


End file.
